Blockhus garners honor

It may have been the easiest balloting ever when it came to Iowa’s wrestlers of the year; after all, if there ever was a year that qualified as a no-brainer, it was 2017-18.

Both Class 1A and 3A had four-time champions in Underwood’s Alex Thomsen and Fort Dodge’s Brody Teske while Class 2A had three-time champion and four-time finalist Michael Blockhus of New Hampton/Turkey Valley.

All three were selected as their respective classes’ “Wrestler of the Year” by Iowa Wrestle.

Blockhus had another brilliant season as he went 60-0 and added the 138-pound individual title to the 106-pound crown he won as a freshman at Crestwood and the 126-pound championship he won as a junior for New Hampton.

And although Blockhus went 87-1 in his two seasons as a Chickasaw, his coach believes his best days on the mat are ahead of him.